Road test: 1998 Jaguar XJR

Road test: 1998 Jaguar XJR

byDavid Booth | August 10, 2011

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1998 Jaguar XJRHandout

You’d have to be one hard-hearted motorhead to not be tickled pink by Jaguar’s return to grace. One of the world’s most storied brands, the marque suffered the blight of blase mismanagement only the British can muster and quality control that would be laughed at in New Delhi.

Since Ford’s takeover, quality control has improved immeasurably. The styling for which Jaguar has been justifyibly famous (but which somehow deserted them for the late ’80s XJ redesign) has returned with the absolutely delectable lines of the latest series of XJ sedans.

The XJR is the sportiest of the latest generation Jaguar sedans. Introduced in 1995, the XJR harkens back to the days when Jag sedans were more sports car and less limousine.The heart of the beast (and it is beastly) is the supercharger that lurks underneath the XJR’s hood. Last year, the supercharger force-fed the then standard 3.2 litre inline six engine, pumping it up to 322 horsepower.

However, for 1998, the entire XJ series has been revamped to handle the 4.0 litre AJ-V8 that debuted in last year’s sensational XK8. Well, sports fans, Jaguar did the obvious and slapped the supercharger onto the V-8.

First the specs. Thanks to the supercharger’s 11.6 psi boost, the XJR blasts out 370 horsepower at 6,150 rpm. For anyone doing a comparison, that’s 80 hp more than the standard Jag V-8, 25 more than Chevy’s latest Corvette and only 19 less than Mercedes’ 6.0 litre V-12. The company claims that’s good enough to propel the 4,048 pound (1,836 kg.) XJR from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds (more than a second faster than the two-door XK8).

Those are heady numbers, but the XJR proves even more impressive from behind the wheel. That any 2-ton automobile could move with such dispatch is amazing. Although it doesn’t quite leap from a standstill, once moving faster than 20 km/h, punching the throttle sends the big Jag lunging (or is that leaping? What exactly do real-life jaguars do?) forward like the proverbial – wait for it – scalded cat.

It does all this without the slightest fuss. Getting 370 horsepower from a mere 4.0 litres is difficult enough. Achieving those numbers in an engine that is equal to any in smoothness and civility is an accomplishment of another order. Simply put, no other V-8 – not Mercedes’ nor Lexus’ nor BMW’s – has its measure in overall comportment. It’s simply the best V-8 engine I’ve ever tested.

To handle all this power, Jaguar outfits the XJR with a plethora of chassis upgrades, including sticky Pirelli P Zero 255/40ZR18 radials, traction control and sport-tuned shocks and springs for the four-wheel independent suspension. More compliant than previous XJRs, the ’98’s sport suspension is nonetheless up to the job of cornering with a minimum of bother. It may not corner as well as the late, lamented BMW M5, but the XJR will leave most other luxury cars scurrying behind it on twisty roads.

In fact, that’s the true delight of the XJR. There’s virtually no penalty (other than the astronomical $92,900 price tag) for having its phenomenal performance at your fingertips. The ride is as good as the standard XJ8, the engine is every bit as civilized as anything on the market and its interior amenities are the best in Jaguar’s entire lineup.About the only thing to complain about is the rear seat’s lack of legroom. That can be solved by opting for the longer-wheelbase Vanden Plas, but unfortunately, it isn’t available with the supercharged engine.

The XJR is one of the most impressive luxury sedans I’ve ever driven. Now that BMW’s M5 has gone the way of the dodo bird (at least here in Canada), this Jaguar is the one I’d pony up my money for, were I fabulously well-to-do or simply independently foolish.